Day 21. An escort and a fast forward

Riviere du Loup to Temiscouata-sur-Le-lac, Quebec

9/7/23: 47 mi. AIS: 4:30. 10.5 mph. Elev. 2027 ft.

(* mileage was not on the bike)

The sun is up early… we are close to the start of eastern time zone, so we are up at 6am. It is a beautiful sunny morning, nice temp. Off on the bikes by 8am. First stop today is the Office of Tourism to ask about the route closure and possibility of a shuttle. We were expecting a steep climb back into the city from our campground near the river and it did not disappoint… had to walk a couple blocks of it! Anyway, the tourism office told us that we’d be okay…the shuttle runs Wed-Sun. Yeah!!

Off we go..but we have one more BIG hill to climb to get over the top and catch the new Route Verte 8 trail. This hill was a long, steady doable climb then we found the trailhead and found ourselves back on a crushed gravel trail! No highways for 2 days!

Since Montreal we have been on Route Verte 1. Today we started Route 8. This is another linear Parc trail to Edmonston, New Brunswick. This is the only linear Parc trail that includes 2 provinces. It is called Petit Temis Linnear Parc.

We had a short descent out of Riviere du Loup when we got on the trail. Following that we began a nice steady climb… no more than 4% for the next 24 km (15 mi). We were climbing the Notre Dam mountains… kind of like the top end of the Appalachian chain. We started at sea level and climbed to 1200 ft. Once we left the St Lawrence River area. A few km into our ride it started to get pretty hot. We really have not experienced a hot day since we started. Since we were on the trail we ditched the helmets. It was cloudy for a while and then the sun broke through… hot and sweaty!

The mountain section of todays ride had 3 designated rustique camps along the trail. We stopped at the first one to check it out. In high season you can reserve a tent site for about $10 (Canadian). Rustique means pit toilet and boil or filter water.

Todays drama..

The part you’ve been waiting for… We pedaled very happily for about 24 km when we arrived at the first closed barrier. The reason for the closure is a HuGE construction project on the trans-Canadian highway. They are building a 20km stretch into a divided highway. As part of the project they had to rebuild the bike trail as well because it’s adjacent to the highway at times. This project had been going on for a couple of years, it’s in the mountains and they’re blasting through granite.

At this closure we descended toward the construction zone. When we got to the trailer setup we wandered a bit looking for someone to ask about a shuttle. Ha ha ha ha ha…

First off, one woman had to find someone who understood English. Nope, sent us across the road to the other trailers. Mykal spoke English. He didn’t know anything. Suggested we look on the trail website. Did I tell you it was really, really hot AND dusty at the construction site? In search of shade to figure out what to do, we ducked behind the trailers. It really was the only shade around. Sat on a couple of boards and “ tried” to call the trail website. I really wish I could understand any of the language. It was a recording… you know… press 1 or 2. The only thing I got out of it was UN or DU! This was hard.

So we decided we would try to hitchhike. We needed cardboard and a marker to make a sign! So back to the first trailer I go. On the way to the door I meet a guy in a truck (name is Harold) who speaks a “ little” English. He gets me a box and a pen from “the dude” who is eating lunch inside the cool trailer😊.

Great… we make our sign and head out to the 2 lane highway next to the huge project. The cars and semis are rolling moderately fast through this zone but there’s a small hill so they slow down slightly… plus there are construction trucks going in and out, so speed is limited. I walk up the road a ways to try to “thumb” our ride. Ha ha ha ha. After about 5 minutes…This is stupid I quickly think and walk back to the bikes and Jim. He’s mad at me for giving up so quickly! So he stands there for about 5 minutes! Mind you… it’s semis, cars, suvs, campers and maybe… maybe… a pickup or 2. By the time they see us and our pathetic sign they have blasted through any chance of picking us up.

I hear a horn toot from a workers truck and walk back to the bikes. It’s my “friend” Harold. He tells me “the dude” is going to escort us about 2km down the highway where we can get back on the trail. Really? Okay!

So we set off on the busy highway and “the dude” trails us for maybe 10 minutes to get us up the hill to a construction light where we can cross and get back on the trail. Merci beaucoup! They were so kind to do that. Btw… we’ve ridden roads in Louisiana much, much scarier than that without an escort, but they were so helpful and nice.

After we crossed the highway, we had to cross country a bit through their construction hell of mud and rocks but we got to the trail! Happy to be riding again… we noticed how they had to regrade and rebuild the trail through that 2 km section. Then we heard more construction ahead of us on the trail. We hadn’t ridden but maybe 5 minutes! We entered another stretch of construction and suddenly Harold shows up again! After some discussion, Harold motions for us to put our bikes in the truck bed and he will “ fast forward” us about 20 km down the highway! I really wish I could understand anything these workers said to one another! So we load up the bikes and panniers… hop in the air conditioned truck and take off for somewhere down the road where the trail starts again. Now is when I find out that my new heroes name is Harold! He plays pop music on his radio (all English). We ride and are just amazed at the rock bed they have had to dynamite away on this road project! Suddenly he turns off the highway and stops the truck at the end of the trail barrier… we are back into riding a little more than 2 hours later. What a detour!!! Just think.. the construction company took care of two older American bicycle riders! I think they felt like they needed to help these old people! Unbelievable really. I honestly don’t know what we would have done.

Back on the trail with about 15 miles to go! Piece of cake. We are over the top over of the mountains and cruising on the downhill side. It’s hot! But…. Not for long.

We start to feel a few drops of rain. Feels pretty good because we are hot. Then it starts to get harder so the rain jackets come out. We take refuge at the next Halte and wait out the rain for awhile. We have 9 miles to go. Looks like a short break in the rain so we go for it!

We didn’t get to our motel tonight before the next downpour hit big! We were cruising fast and comfortably. We pushed all the way into town. Mission to finish this days ride!

We’re at the Royal motel looking out onto a beautiful lake with a Quebec National Parc on the other side. The motel desk operator saw us coming and greeted us with 2 big, white fluffy towels. How about that?!

Things I see

Tomorrow

Our plan is to ride to Edmundston, New Brunswick with a much deserved layover day. Good night😊